Osu
by TheVictorianMuse
Summary: "Maybe this would make up for all of the pain he felt during his younger years. Lee could be all the love he needed to make him happy." M for safety. HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

It had only been a day since Gaara, the youngest Kazekage the Village Hidden in The Sand had ever seen, and everything seemed to be back on track. There was still mourning over the death of Elder Chiyo, but like everything else, it would pass with time. Whilst everyone else from Konoha had returned to their village, Naruto and Rock Lee stayed behind in Sunagakure, to help oversee that Gaara was alright after his near death experience. This would prove to be the beginning of a whole new chapter in the young Kazekage's dismal life.

~X~

"Gaara!" While everyone else strictly used the term 'Kazekage-sama' when referring to Gaara, Naruto did not. He refused, in fact. Said boy lifted his head up to look at the door.

"Come in, Naruto-kun. You needn't knock next time, just walk in." He answered, shuffling around the papers on his desk. The hyperactive blonde he'd come to see as his brother bounded into his office. Behind him trailed a more refined boy, Rock Lee. Gaara's smile melted from his face as he set eyes upon the Leaf ninja. He never truly had apologized for what he had done to Lee, what seemed like so long ago. He straightened up in his chair.

"Hello, Lee-san." He said calmly as he stood from his seat. He bowed his head to both shinobi. Naruto scrunched up his face.

"So much propriety! Aren't we all friends here?" He chimed. Gaara relaxed a bit.

"Friends, yes! Of course. Sit down, both of you!" Gaara gestured to the wooden chairs in front of his desk. He sat back down while the others did the same. "What have you come here for, Naruto-kun? Is there a problem with your arrangements?"

Naruto shook his head, his blonde hair tousling in the process. "No, everything's great! The beds are real comfy and all that! It's just…I was wondering, Gaara…did you hear anything about Sasuke while you were…y'know. With Akatsuki?" he asked. He had a forlorn look in his eye. Gaara knew he desperately wanted to find his old teammate.

"No. I'm sorry, Naruto-kun," Gaara sighed, hanging his head. "I was incapacitated a majority of the time. Even if I had heard something, I wouldn't have remembered it. I can put some Sand shinobi on patrol in the outlaying lands, if that will help."

Naruto looked defeated. "No, it's alright…we have so many people looking for him now, as it is. I wouldn't want you wasting man power when you really don't have to." The blonde stood up. He smiled suddenly, reaching over to give Gaara a slap on the back, which almost knocked the wind out of him. "It's good to have you back, Gaara!"

Gaara blinked, and offered the blonde a small smile. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"Well, I'm going to go see if Sakura-chan is here yet! I'll stop by again tomorrow, Gaara! Dattebayo!" He smiled his huge trademark smile, and turned to leave. Lee stood as well, but Gaara help up a hand.

"Lee-sama? Can I have a word with you?" The redhead asked. Lee nodded, and sat back down. Naruto glanced at the two for a moment, but only shrugged his shoulders before leaving. Gaara sat down as well, and sighed lightly.  
>"Lee, I've been wanting to get this off of my chest for a while now. I'm…I'm so sorry!" He sounded like he was choking. He had his fists clenched in his lap, and his head was hung, his Kazekage's hat obscuring his face from view. Lee didn't believe what he was seeing until he looked closer…Gaara no Sabaku, the Demon of the Sand Village…was crying. "Lee, I'm so sorry for what I did to you!" He cried out. Lee didn't know what to do. He sat there in that wooden chair for what seemed like hours, void of all emotion for the first time in his life. He didn't know what to think…what to say. He had forgiven Gaara in his own way so long ago. He didn't think the boy had even given it a second thought. Come to find out, it was all the boy had dwelled on since he had returned home.<p>

"Gaara-sama…do not cry! I forgave you, months after it happened!" He said lightly, reaching a hand out to the younger boy. Gaara shook his head, his hat falling off in the process. His deep red hair was longer than it had been before.

"That doesn't make it okay! That doesn't make up for what I did. I still have that pain…right here!" He gripped his chest, where his heart was. "Every time I remember how you looked in that hospital bed! Broken, weak…a mere shadow of the great shinobi who spilled my blood for the first time. Made me feel pain for the first time…"


	2. Chapter 2

Lee didn't know how to react to what Gaara had said. He has caused him pain…well he knew this, he had punched him square in his jaw. The first strike the redhead had ever felt. Why did Gaara hold that fact so dear? Being the good guy that he was, Lee stood up and walked over to where Gaara sat, and gave him a tight hug.

"Do not beat yourself up, Gaara-sama. We were young then, and both foolish. My foolishness was of my own accord, but you had no control over what you were doing. Unlike Naruto-kun, who has a demon trapped inside of him, you were trapped inside of the demon. You may have looked like you on the outside, but the real you was a prisoner. I don't hold you accountable. Besides, I became a stronger shinobi from it all. If anything, I owe you!" he finished his speech by flashing Gaara his award-winning smile.

The young Kazekage lifted his head, sniffling. His mint green eyes were glistening with tears, and there were water marks down his porcelain cheeks. He shook his head slowly.

"Lee-san…how can you be so…so wonderful! You are so forgiving and so loving. I admire you! I wish for my villagers to see me how I see you! As someone they can turn to in times of need! Someone they can confide in." He wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "Thank you for listening, Lee-san, I feel so much better!"

Lee patted him on the back. "Thank you for the compliments, Gaara! I just try to do all I can for my friends. Now, If you don't mind, I must also go check on Sakura-chan's arrival. I miss her very much!" The green-clad ninja smiled wistfully. "I want to take her out for dinner!"

Gaara's mood turned sour. He leaned down to snatch up his hat, and he set it down on the table. For some reason, hearing Lee mention Sakura, and his feelings for her, made him feel something. Something he didn't like…he didn't quite know what the feeling was, but it wasn't a good one. It made him feel edgy.

"Goodbye, Lee." He said shortly, scrunching his nose. Lee looked confused.

"Gaara-sama?"

"Good _bye_, Lee!" He hissed, turning away to look at his paperwork, not really seeing the words that were scrawled across the page. Lee left quickly, without another word. Gaara's throat felt extremely dry as he heard the door softly click closed.

~X~

"Temari-chan?" Gaara knocked softly on the door to his older sister's room. He knew she was already home from training her genin students. He was right, as he heard the shuffle of tired feet approach the door.

"Yes, Gaara-kun?" She said as she opened her door. As soon as she saw her brothers face, she knew something was wrong. She frowned, moving aside to let him come in. She closed the door behind him. "What's wrong, little brother?" She watched him wring his hands. He never did that.

"Rock Lee came to my office today. I apologized to him for what happened at the Chunin Exams…and he said some really nice stuff that made me feel better." He explained, not looking her in the eyes. She smiled.

"Gaara, that's great! You don't need to feel sad about that!" She reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. Two years ago, she never would have believed that Gaara would be in her room, and that she would be comforting him like this. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"And I told him that I admire him, and he smiled and hugged me. But then he…said he was going to meet Haruno Sakura, and take her out to dinner. And then I…" he swallowed thickly, "I got this feeling, like I was angry with him but sad simultaneously."

It took a minute for Temari to process what her baby brother had just said, but when she finally did, she smiled softly.

"Gaara-chan? Do you want to be the one Lee takes out to dinner?" She asked gently. The young Kazekage looked up at his sister.

"Yes!" He whispered breathlessly. She wrapped him up in loving hug.

"Gaara, you're jealous of that girl. I think you're in love with Rock Lee." She put her head on top of his and sighed. "Oh, Gaara-chan, you poor thing…"

Gaara stared wide eyed over his sister's shoulder. " In love?" He whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

Gaara spent the next couple of hours in his bedroom, sitting in a wooden chair that he had situated so he could gaze out of his window. He sorted through every single memory he had of Rock Lee, trying to make sense of what Temari had said. Trying to make sense of that fact the he very well may be in love with the Leaf. It surely was unexpected. When had he even learned to love at all? He burrowed his bare brows and thought hard about what was going through his mind when Lee was in his office. He admired Rock Lee, of that he was certain. He had become such a strong ninja despite tremendous odds, and he did it with a smile on his face. He was humble, and kind…everything Gaara wanted in his life.

But he was in love with Haruno Sakura, the same pink haired kunoichi he had been in love with when they had first met. It seemed as though no one would replace her in Lee's heart. But Sakura was not in love with Lee like he was, she did not feel the same things for the black haired taijutsu specialist. That was hardly fair! Gaara rested his head in his hands. Maybe he would just have to show Lee how much he cared?

~X~

He decided to start with flowers. He had spent many days and nights gazing out of his window down to the streets of his village, and had seen the many customs of his people. Deducing that courting rituals couldn't be much different from village to village, he settled on buying Lee a set of four white lotus flowers. He had often heard the Leaf shinobi speak of the Konoha Lotus, and Mr. Hitarashi's flower shop had just gotten a shipment of them from the Yamanaka shop. He tried his best to act casual as he walked into the shop. Mr. Hitarashi looked shocked at best.

"Good Morning, Kazekage-sama! What can I get for you today? We've just procured a wonderful array of cacti from the southern desert, if you'd like to take a look!" The man knew of Gaara's love of cacti cultivation. His face perked up at the mention, his black-rimmed eyes widening.

"Save some for me, if you would. I'm actually here on another matter. I'd like to buy four of your Konoha Lotuses. I heard you just got a shipment." Gaara approached the counter, leaning over it to try and seem casual. He could tell by the look on the shop keepers face that he wasn't doing a good job. Mr. Hitarashi smiled all the same, though, and opened up the display case and pulled out four of the flowers, placing them in a clear vase. Gaara eyed the other vases, and held a hand up to stop the man.

"Actually, could you put them in that green vase? The…recipient of these flowers likes the color green." He forced a small smile. Mr. Hitarashi grinned.

"Very well, Kazekage-sama!" He placed the lotuses in the emerald green vase, tying around it a red ribbon. He handed them to Gaara, who reached into his robe for his coin purse. Mr. Hitarashi shook his head.

"No, no! These are on the house, Kazekage-sama. As a loyal follower of-" He began, but Gaara cut him off.

"There is no fear in your eyes. Only loyalty…" Gaara murmured, surprised. Mr. Hitarashi smiled.

"Of course, Gaara-sama! I am fiercely loyal to my dearest Kazekage!"

Gaara looked up at the shopkeeper and smiled a true smile, that crept across his face slowly and cautiously, but when it bloomed, it was the sweetest sight.

"Thank you, Hitarashi-sama. More kinder words have never been spoken to me." He graciously bowed his head, holding on to his Kage hat so it would not fall of his head. It really was too big for him. "I will see to it that your shop receives all necessary upgrades."

He left before the man could protest. Today would be a good day. He couldn't wait to get his flowers to Lee.

~x~

Gaara waited in his office for Lee's arrival. He had sent out a messenger to give a letter to the Leaf, which read 'Lee-san. Please meet me in my office at sundown.' He knew it wasn't romantic, but he didn't know anything about writing romantic notes or love letters. The note would suffice.

Sure enough, Lee was as punctual as always, arriving exactly when the sun disappeared behind the dunes. He knocked softly on the heavy mahogany door. Gaara looked up from his paperwork.

"Enter." He said as he normally would. Lee opened the door and slipped through, clicking it shut behind him. He looked nervous. Gaara frowned.

"You wanted to see me, Kazekage-sama?" He asked with a touch of apprehension. Gaara nodded. He stood up from his desk and picked up the green vase with his Konoha Lotuses. This perked Lee's interest, and his eyes grew wide.

"Those are lovely! The Konoha Lotus, blooming with such exuberance and youth! The bloom-"

"Twice, yes I know. I've heard you speak of this many times before. I got them for you, just this morning." Gaara cut him off, holding out the thin vase. "I even got a green vase, since you're always sporting the color. The shop keeper but a red ribbon on it, I think he was of the impression it was…for a girlfriend. But it isn't. It's for you. A gift." Gaara was painfully away that he was rambling. He didn't expect this to be this complicated. Maybe it was the look Lee was giving him that made him nervous. Like he was a bug. A huge bug, with long feelers and too many eyes.

"Gaara-sama…you only give flowers to those you…well…think of it this way. I would give flowers to Sakura-chan! And you would give flowers to a girl you liked! You don't give your comrades flowers." Lee smiled, but Gaara did not. His grip on the vase tightened. There Lee went again, mentioning Haruno. Did Lee not get it? He was receiving these flowers because Gaara had feelings for him.

"I know you don't give flowers to your comrades. You give them to someone you are romantically interested in. That is why I'm giving you flowers. Konoha Lotuses. Your favorite." He held them out more, urging Lee to take them. "These are for you, my special someone."

Lee scrunched his thick eyebrows together in a look of disbelief. "Gaara-sama…you are gay?"

Gaara pondered this for a moment. "I don't know. I just know that I have feelings for you. My special someone." He managed a small smile. He hadn't this much adoration for someone since his Uncle Yashamaru. He knew that it was love, only because when Lee was around, the pain he felt in his chest lessened to a dull throb that was completely manageable.

"Gaara-sama…no, I am very sorry but I cannot accept your flowers. To do so would give you false hope. I'm in love with Sakura-chan! But you…are a dear friend! But I cannot love you-"

"They're your favorite." Gaara couldn't comprehend at the moment why Lee wouldn't accept his gift.

"Gaara-sama, please do not make this more difficult for me. My answer is no. I'm in love with Sakura-chan." Lee was starting to sound pitiful towards Gaara. Like Gaara was a child.

Gaara stared a spot on the wall behind Lee's shoulder. Suddenly, he squeezed his eyes shut and threw the vase on the ground, shattering it, spraying water everywhere.

"Out."

"But Gaara-sama-"

"OUT!" The younger boy screamed, clutching his head and falling to his knees atop the shards of class from his precious green vase. Blood seeped onto the floor, but Lee was too far away to notice. Tears streamed down the redheads porcelain cheeks.


	4. Chapter 4

~The Next Morning~

Lee woke up with a start, like someone had stabbed him in the back with a red-hot poker. He breathed in deeply as he remembered what had happened last night.

_The green glass of the vase shattering across the ground, Gaara's knees crashing down across the shards…his cries of dismay…_

Lee shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts of those memories, but they replayed in his head like sick and twisted symphony. The way Gaara had been so hopeful when he held out his gift to Lee. His thoughtfulness at getting a green vase to put them in. Hell, Lee was sure no one else knew that Lotuses were his favorite flower, even if he did go on and on about them. Gaara was the only one to notice.

Lee stood up, and went to his water basin. They didn't have a shower in their small efficiency apartment. Sunagakure, being a desert village, used as little water as they possibly could on bathing. The Kazekage mansion was the only building with a shower, if he was not mistaken. He scooped up water in his hands to splash his face with, but as he brought it closer to his eyes, he saw not his own reflection, but Gaara's, his aquamarine eyes squeezed shut, tears streaming down his cheeks. Lee yelped, dropping the water with a _splash_ back down into the basin.

"It's the guilt, isn't it." Came Neji Hyuga's soft, calculating voice. Lee jumped in his skin, turning to face his teammate and Eternal Rival.

"I do not know what you mean, Neji-san." Lee lied, wiping his wet hands on his vest. "Guilt over what?" It was then that he noticed the Hyuga had his Byakugan activated. Could he…no, it wasn't possible…

"For breaking his heart. I see everything, Lee. Three hundred and sixty degrees." Neji tapped his temple. "Nothing gets past me, especially when its laid out so plainly for me to see. If I were you, Lee, I would go to him. Give it a try. You never know. It may seem like you're not…that way…but you have to put some hope into the fact that he paid that much attention to your likes and dislikes. This is Sabaku no Gaara we're talking about. Since when has he shown interest in anyone? Even himself?"

Lee frowned, shaking his head. "But Neji-san. I am not…gay. I have never even-"

With a speed he knew only Neji and himself to possess, all thanks to Gai-sensei of course, Neji was right in front of him, inches away from his face. With no hesitation, only the determination to prove a point, Neji pressed his lips against Lee's, burying his hands in the shiny mop of coal black hair. Lee protested for a moment, pushing both his hands against Neji's shoulders, but the Hyuga stood there like a rock, moving his lips against Lee's in a manner that indicated Neji had some practice at this. With whom, he did not now. When the genius's chest pressed against his, something in him snapped, and he gripped at Neji's hair, kissing him back with all the excitement and exuberance that accompanied everything else he partook in. Neji smiled against his lips, shoving him away towards the door.

"Go." He said, simultaneously, and quiet compulsively fixing his hair. Lee, at a loss for words, stumbled out of the door, with only one destination in mind. Wherever Gaara was at this moment.

Neji tossed his now neat hair behind his shoulder.

"How long have you known?" Came Tenten's sweet, albeit sleepy voice. Neji grinned devilishly.

"Since he told Gai-sensei he dreamed of me."

~At The Kazekage Mansion, Around The Same Time~

Amazingly, Gaara had slept all through the night. The only reason he could come to for that was the he was extremely exhausted from crying for close to three hours last night, on his knees, over a bed of green glass. Green glass that had been a beautiful vase moments before he had his heart crushed by the first person he ever loved. He had dragged himself home, ignored his siblings questions of why his cheeks were tearstained and why his eyes were red a puffy, and locked himself in the master bed room. There, his chakra exploded from anger, and frustration, but most of all, hurt. He has smashed everything made of glass he could get his tiny hands on, and he ripped apart every bureau in the room. Waking up now and realizing what he had done, he really didn't care. All of it had belonged to his Father, anyway.

And then all of those feelings from the night before came flooding back, and he gripped his head as hard as he could. He remembered the look on Lee's face…like he was scum to be wiped away. Less than human…just like everyone else. Like he was a pathetic reject…a demon…

No! Lee would never think of him like that. The rational side of his brain was trying to tell him this. Lee was not one to judge so harshly, to think that cruelly. He didn't like to have this inner turmoil in his head, it confused him and scared him, and curled back up on his futon mattress, covering his eyes with his hands to block out that harsh, unforgiving desert sun.

~At Kankuro's Workshop, Somewhere Near The Outskirts of Suna~

"Puppets, huh?" Tenten's voice echoed in the cave-like setting of Kankuro's vast workshop. The walls were stone, a drab brown sandstone if she wasn't mistaken. It had been hollowed out from the side of a small, lone mountain that shielded Suna from the desert winds. The voice startled the Sand nin, and he whipped around, kunai at the ready. Tenten chuckled.

"Now, now. Don't get all defensive." She smiled, approaching his desk. "I was wondering what was out here. I had no idea I'd stumble across your little…operation. It's a nice set-up you have here. Where did you get all of these weapons?" She was referring to the vast collection of very old looking weapons that hung against the wall. She ran her hands over them, inspecting them with great care. There were swords of varying size and shape, some even having an exaggerating curve. There were also sickles, and various styles of shuriken and kunai knifes. Kankuro sat back down.

"I usually don't let people in here…but for you, I'll make an exception." He sounded a bit flirtatious, something Tenten picked up on right away. "So…you like weapons, huh?" He said, playing off her teasing remark from earlier. She grinned, walking over to his table.

"I'm a specialist." She said proudly. "I keep them all right here, in my scroll." She patted at the scroll on her hip. "Maybe I'll let you…look inside, sometime." She leaned down by his ear. "Later, Kankuro-san." She whispered.

When he turned around, she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

~Kankuro's Apartment, Later That Day~

Kankuro arrived back at his small apartment around midnight that night. To say he was bewildered would be an oversight. It would also be an oversight to say he was completely and utterly aroused.

He had seen her before, he knew that much. At the Chunin exams, she had been beaten, no contest, by his older sister Temari. But she had come a long way, and her and her team had saved his baby brother from…well…certain death. But now…she was hitting on him? But hadn't he flirted first? No, that was just his normal attitude. Flippant. Playful. She had come on to him of her own accord.

And it really turned him on. He had spent the rest of the day unable to concentrate on installing the mechanisms for his newest creation, The Mauler. All he could think about was undoing those hair buns and running his fingers through her brown hair, making her his precious, sexy puppet…oh, this sure was new…

And he didn't even know her first name. That, he thought, should be his first point of action.

~At The Kazekage Mansion, 2 p.m The Next Day~

As obvious as it might seem, Lee had not mustered up the courage to see Gaara that day Neji had all but coerced him into going. What was he to say? What was he to do?

'_I'm sorry, Gaara…you know…about breaking your heart…'_

Lee cringed. That sounded so silly. Begging on his knees would probably be his best bet, at this point. That is, if Gaara didn't just kill him on sight like he was Lee was sure he would. But Lee knew he had to try…the way Neji had kissed him…he had imagined the entire time that they were Gaara's lips. He had to feel that at least once, right? That was his rationale as he approached the giant gate to the Kazekage mansion. The guard at the front gate nodded at him, recognizing him from the Revival. That made Lee flash back to what Gaara had looked like…while he lay dead on the ground. It was devastating to all involved. Suna and Konaha had grown to love the Kazekage. Lee banged the giant golden knocker at the front doors, and waited patiently for what he though was the most important moment in his young life.

The door slowly opened…

~The Outlaying Desert of Sunagakure, Earlier That Morning, around 2 a.m~

"Sasuke…what are you here?" Neji's usually strong and sure voice quaked with the uncertainty of a thousand broken hearts. He was standing five feet from said Uchiha as the desert wind whipped around them. The younger boy smiled evilly.

"To see you, of course. I heard you were here in Suna. I hear everything, nowadays." He was smirking. Neji hung his head.

"To see me? You mean to break my heart. All over again." He brought his long hair over his shoulder so he could fiddle with it nervously. "Why did you come here when you know I can't bring you back. When you know you have to leave again…when you know you're not coming back with me!" His pupil-less eyes were filling with tears. This was a side of Neji that no one but Sasuke had ever seen. This Neji was broken…in this moment, he really was a 'bird in a cage'…the cage being Sasuke's love. He wasn't sure if he wanted to fly away, though. If he did, why would he be standing here, crying, begging in his own way for Sasuke to come back to him?

Sasuke walked forward until he was an arm's length away from the Hyuga. He almost looked sympathetic. This is the closest they'd been since the night Sasuke left Konoha…almost 3 years.

"Wouldn't one night be better than no night at all?" he almost said it sardonically. These words cut through Neji like a knife.

"Is that all I am to you? One night?" He turned his head away, half of his face shielded by his hair. Sasuke's lips curved into a frown.

"Neji…you know I'm not good at expressing…this…" He reached out to touch those soft locks. Neji quickly jerked away. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Would I really travel all this way to see you if I didn't care? If it was just sex I wanted, there are many where I reside that would give themselves willingly. I came here for you-"

"You'd travel this far for my sex, Sasuke-_sama_. You said yourself, no one screams your name like me. You'd travel this far for that _gratification_, and don't belittle me by saying that's a lie-"

Sasuke pressed their lips together, sliding off Neji's forehead protector in the process.

"I've missed you so much, Neji-koi. I don't care if I leave here with nothing but your goodbye…"

Neji pushed him away. "You already took goodbye, along with my love. You leave with nothing."

"Neji-"

"Go."

Sasuke didn't need to hear more. He scowled, and was gone with a gust of wind. He didn't see Neji fall to his knees and have his sobs carried with the same gust.

~Back At The Kazekage Mansion~

Gaara pulled the door open, and was shocked (inwardly of course) when Rock Lee fell to his knees before him, placing kisses on his bare toes. This feeling was extremely foreign, for he didn't think anyone had ever touched his feet before. Once he realized what was going, though, he yanked his feet free.

"What do you want?" It came out a hiss, as he intended. Lee stayed in his bowed position.

"I am so sorry, Gaara-sama. So very, very sorry! I wish I could take it all back! Take back everything I said, take your wondrous gift of lotuses, and kiss you on those perfect lips! I have thought of nothing else since it happened! I wish you would forgive me! You are my most precious person, for you have me in your heart, unlike Sakura-san. Unlike anyone else could! I love you, Gaara-sama!" Lee exclaimed, his forehead pressed against the ground.

Gaara was silent for a moment.

"Go away." He slammed the door, literally, in Lee's face. The wood didn't hit him, but the wind from it ruffled his black hair. Lee stood quickly and banged on the knocker.

"I'll woo you! You'll see, Gaara-sama! I will win you over with the power of LOVE!" Lee shouted, pumping a fist in the air.

Lee always did love challenges!

~Temari's Apartment, around 5 p.m~

"Temari? Oi, Temari!" Kankuro banged on his sister's door with his palm. He heard the telltale shuffle of his sister's tired and cranky feet. She threw the door open.

Her eyes were sullen and her hair was a mess. It looked as though her genin squad had really put her through the ringer. Kankuro made a note of this, so he could rag on her about it later. He had more pressing business to tend to.

"Look, I know your tired and shit, but this'll only take a second! That girl you fought in the Chunin exams! The one with the buns, what was her name?" He looked so eager.

Temari cocked an eyebrow. Was this really what he had come over for? She rolled her eyes.

"Tenten."

"TENTEN!" He shouted as soon as it left her mouth. "OF COURSE! THANKS SIS, I OWE YOU!"

With a puff of smoke, he was gone. She hung her head, and slammed her door shut. Her brother was so weird. And everyone worried about Gaara? Tch.

~Team Gai's Efficiency Apartment~

Tenten had just changed into her loungewear, a deep jade colored yukata. It was made of silk, and it was her absolute favorite thing she owned, next to her favorite weapon, the Death Mace. She sighed and went to work on cleaning said mace. She had all of her main weapons spread out of the floor, all ready for their weekly cleaning. She lifted the mace up to the candle light to check for spots, when there was a knock at the door.

"One moment!" She called. She slid her brown slippers on and shuffled to the door.

When she opened it…

~Temari's Apartment, Around The Same Time~

Temari lay on her small futon, staring up at the ceiling. What was she doing with her life? She was almost 19, and she wasn't even sure of anything but going on missions, and killing. Didn't other kunoichi her age already have another life? Friends? Boyfriends?

As soon as the word 'boyfriend' crossed her mind, she turned her head to look at the small paper fan that rested on her bedside stand. It was the only thing there besides a framed picture of her and her brothers. Gaara was actually smiling, albeit almost unnoticeable. Attached to the fan by a hemp string was a note.

_I thought maybe you'd like a smaller one, that wouldn't cast the big of a shadow. Or, you know…to cool you off in Suna without blowing your head off your shoulders. Tch. So bothersome._

_-Shikamaru_

No, she didn't miss him…not one bit…


	6. Side Story  Unsent Letter  Shikamaru

~Side Story – The Unsent Letter~

_Temari-san, _

_ After a considerable number of nights I've spent awake, staring up and my ceiling and pondering the question, "Do I love you?" I've come to the conclusion that yes, I do. Undoubtedly, in fact. I think my own stubbornness was the only factor that dragged out my arrival at the conclusion that you are the girl I want to marry. You're the strongest kunoichi I've come across in my long seventeen years, so strong in fact that you need no protecting. For all my life I thought that fact would drive me away from a woman. But something my father once said to me was hanging in the air the whole time I was contemplating my feelings for you. He sat me down, when I was twelve years old, after my mother had gotten in a serious fight with a woman from another clan. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Shikamaru…even the strongest, toughest woman will show her softest side to the man he loves. This is how you are with me. You can blow away even the strongest shinobi, laugh as he begs for death, and then turn to me and give me one of those smiles that always seem to say "Who, me?" I could look at that smile for the rest of my life. Aishiteru. _

Shikamaru rolls up the scroll he'd written the confession on, and stuffs it under the floorboard of his room.


End file.
